Dr. David Shulkin inherited a Veterans Affairs Department only partway through a badly needed transformation. As secretary, he’s got a lot of tough constituents — Congress, a demanding president, veterans groups and veterans themselves. Shulkin discussed a number of pressing matters on Federal Drive with Tom Temin, starting with the consequences of new funding for the Veterans Choice program just approved by Congress. It extends veterans’ ability to obtain health care outside of the VA system. Just don’t call it privatization.

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee passed the TSP Modernization Act of 2017, along with a handful of other bills that could soon affect the lives and careers of the federal workforce.

The Republican Study Committee released its own take on the fiscal 2018 budget, which includes several cuts to federal pay, retirement and health benefits. Here’s how the committee’s budget proposal measures up to other recommendations from the Trump administration and other House lawmakers.

Most of the retirement nest-egg money federal investors have socked away is in the super-safe, never-has-a-bad-day Treasury securities G fund. But Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wonders how safe is safe.